Feature

2008

• A singed ham makes its way to our offices in the form of a Valentine’s Day Card Contest offering. Columnist and Army veteran Alex Limkin pens a letter to his deceased colonel on the five-year anniversary of the Iraq War. Homebrewing sweeps the nation, and the Alibi greedily gulps some samples. We publish our most massive and comprehensive Election Guide to date. Rudolfo Anaya writes about wine and Christmas in our pages. The Alibi takes home 25 awards from local and national newspaper contests. Future Editor-in-Chief Laura Marrich wins several for editing.

Best Haiku About "The Q":Never heard of itCould you point me to this "Q"?Yo soy de Burque

—Victoria Rodrigues, 2008

• At a City Council meeting, action on a routine bond bill is halted. “They couldn’t price the bonds that day because of turmoil in the financial markets, including the bankruptcy of Lehman Brothers, the buyout of Merrill Lynch, insurance giant AIG going on life support and a 500-point drop in the Dow Jones index,” the Alibi reports.

Most Offensive Radio Host: TJ Trout

Best New Law: The smoking ban

Best Drag Troupe: The Dolls

Best Karaoke: Ed's Pub at Leisure Bowl

Best Local Music Store: Natural Sound

• Albuquerque and the rest of the world are introduced to Walter White (Bryan Cranston) on AMC’s drug-dealing drama “Breaking Bad.” Over the next five seasons, the shot-in-New-Mexico series will nab six Emmy awards. The final episodes of the series will air in 2013.

• The Rail Runner makes its inaugural run across the Middle Rio Grande Valley.

• Actor Heath Ledger is found dead of an accidental overdose in his New York apartment. He will win a posthumous Oscar for his work as The Joker in Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight, released six months after his death.

• The Albuquerque Tribune ceases publication after more than 86 years.

• The Golden West Saloon burns to the ground. Neighboring Launchpad, also damaged in the accidental fire, makes commemorative T-shirts. Joe Anderson is forced to move shows to other venues for many months as Launchpad is restored.

• Terminator Salvation begins filming at Albuquerque Studios. At some point during the shoot, star Christian Bale has his infamous, expletive-filled, on-camera tantrum, bitching out director of photography Shane Hurlbut.

• The world takes in the phenomenon that is Sarah Palin’s run for VP.

• Sen. Barack Obama wins an emotional and historic presidential election, and spontaneous celebrations break out in the streets.